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December 15, 2025
MANITOWOC – Just a block from the Manitowoc lakeshore, construction is progressing on what Co-owners Angie Phillip and Micki Virnoche promise to be a serene oasis for anyone in need of a little escape.
Set to open in January, the entrepreneurial duo said the mission behind The Woodlands Day Spa and Retreat is to offer a holistic, rejuvenating experience unlike any other – inspired by the organic beauty of nature.
As renovations of the space at 601 Buffalo St. continue, the pair said their goal is to create more than just a spa, but become a destination for Manitowoc residents and visitors alike, where nature and healing come together in perfect harmony.
Phillip said she had been a massage therapy client of Virnoche, who has accumulated 40 years of experience in the wellness industry.
In 2024, when she heard Virnoche was contemplating retirement, Phillip said she arranged a dinner meeting to pitch an idea – launching a full-service day spa that would offer Manitowoc something the community had not yet seen.
“She wanted to know if I was really planning to retire, and I thought I was, but apparently not,” Virnoche laughed. “So, that worked toward a much deeper conversation about what we wanted the next chapter of our lives to look like. It was kind of amazing because we both ended up sharing the same dream, and we wanted to create a true wellness retreat… Hearing Angie express that same vision instantly lit something up for both of us.”
Attention to every detail
The duo said they each bring a wide range of business experience to their partnership.
Phillip – an accountant with more than 25 years of experience, including nine years leading a company’s financial operations – is now also certified as an integrative health coach, Ayurvedic health teacher and Reiki II practitioner.
Virnoche, a massage practitioner with four decades in the wellness industry, said she brings a wealth of spa-world knowledge and entrepreneurial insight to the table.
After searching throughout the Manitowoc area for the right location, the duo said the space on Buffalo Street stood out the moment they saw it – and, as a bonus, it fit within their budget.
The pair said they signed their agreement in June 2025 and immediately began working with construction partners to transform the site into their envisioned retreat, which they designed together.
“We have a thoughtfully designed environment, [which will be] very welcoming, peaceful and intentional, down to the smallest detail,” Virnoche said. “We want every guest to feel the difference the moment they step inside… and to leave feeling transformed and not just pampered.”
A peek inside and out
The environmental aesthetic of the space, Phillip said, will live up to the name of the business.
“We use a lot of different wood modalities inside,” she said. “Our color palette is more of the neutrals [and] earthy tones. We are going to have aromatherapy throughout, which we hope to have as a grounding, neutral, natural sense.”
The duo said they designed the lobby to foster peace, stillness and connection to the natural world.
Phillip and Virnoche said the spa’s locker rooms have experience showers and The Hollow Lounge – which they describe as a cozy retreat, where guests can relax before or after their services.
The co-owners said they also plan to outfit treatment rooms with a large selection of amenities and will offer organic coffee, teas, water and snacks for guests to enjoy.
Above the ground floor is The Canopy – a space that Phillip and Virnoche said invites guests to unwind, discover stillness, explore tranquility and savor meaningful moments.
Furthermore, Phillip said guests can unwind in the Treehouse Lounge, be still in the Afterglow Suite, find peace of mind in the Meditation Suite or share a meaningful moment in The Woodlands Duet Suite.
When springtime arrives, work will begin on The Courtyard – which the duo said will create a sanctuary outdoors that feels every bit as restorative as the one they’ve created inside.
In the meantime, Phillip and Virnoche said they continue to focus their energy indoors by embracing the winter season with soft lighting, warm touches and all the comforts that will make The Woodlands feel like home for guests.
As of early December, Phillip and Virnoche said they were still in the final stages of construction ahead of their planned opening.
“We are still there every day, tweaking little things, getting things cleaned up, but our hope is for January,” Phillip said.
Rediscovering harmony
Virnoche and Phillip said they want their guests to know that when they arrive at The Woodlands, their well-being comes first.
They said they want visitors to experience the calming rhythm of nature and rediscover their harmony, found within.
Virnoche said for them, it’s about far more than a 60-minute massage or a new set of lashes – they want it to be a transformative experience for guests.
“We are not just a service menu,” she said. “We are going to be an experience… We’re going to have [a] whole-scope approach, combining advanced skin therapies, organic wellness [and] deeply restorative treatments, under one roof.”
With a commitment to sustainable, eco-conscious practices, the co-owners said they plan to offer therapeutic, holistic and beauty services designed to nurture the body, calm the mind and uplift the spirit.
That, they said, includes massage, crown, sole and elemental therapies, as well as organic skin care, Vichy treatments and other holistic health services.
The Woodlands, they said, will also provide hair removal, as well as an eyebrow and eyelash bar.
Every product they plan to carry, Phillip said, is chosen for its natural, cruelty-free and environmentally friendly qualities.
She said they believe that what everyone puts on and in their bodies matters just as much as what everyone puts into the world.
“In this world where ‘Big Pharma’ kind of takes over and everybody is… getting scared of going to doctors more and more…, we’re not just there to [for guests to] get pampered,” she said. “It’s not just to have a feel-good massage for an hour.”
Instead, Phillip said holistic medicine starts from the inside out.
“That’s what we want to also convey with the health teaching, health coaching [and] Ayurvedic teaching,” she said. “[It’s about] getting back to nature, going back to how nature teaches us to live and how we should go with the seasons and the flows of the day.”
Virnoche said they will provide an elevated guest experience, whether they’re there for the whole day, the weekend or they’re coming in briefly for one of their services.
“Angie and I are both obsessed with the details – like aromatherapy, warm neck wraps, seamless check-in, personalized care…,” she said. “Personalization is going to start once they walk in the door.”
Embracing the challenges while living out their dreams
Beyond the spa’s regular services, the duo said they plan to host small workshops in the coming year, as well as daytime retreats.
The possibilities, they said, are endless for groups who want to get together and enjoy a day of fully immersive health and wellness experiences.
Virnoche and Phillip said they’re also looking at offering overnight retreats and even full weekend options.
With opening day inching closer, Virnoche said there’s something incredibly fulfilling about watching a dream come to life and knowing that every decision they made will shape the experience their guests are going to have.
“I have loved this adventure with Angie, and I think what we love the most about it is the ability to create something meaningful,” she said. “It’s allowed us to blend our strengths, support a team of incredible professionals and build something that truly serves our community. It’s been very worthwhile to us. We’re very excited [to] open our doors in January, whatever day that is.”
Virnoche said her advice for other new business owners is to stop asking “What if?”
Instead, she said, “Go for it, ask questions and lean on other professionals.”
It’s an ethos that Virnoche said has served her and Phillip well through their own process.
“Like she said, don’t hold back, just pour your heart into it,” Phillip said. “If it’s something you truly love, desire, want to do [and] you think it’ll make the world a better place, go for it – because it probably is something that needs to be there.”
Phillip said one thing that makes this venture especially meaningful is “it’s something we were both passionate about from the start.”
“For us to be this passionate about what we want to do, help people and help the community, I think that makes it all worth it, no matter how stressful some days get,” she said.
To keep up to date on The Woodlands Day Spa and Retreat’s opening, visit thewoodlandsdayspa.com or visit its Facebook page.
